Articles
Apricot fruit quality: small changes today lead to big achievements in consumers’ satisfaction of tomorrow
Article number
1450_19
Pages
141 – 150
Language
English
Abstract
A neglected apricot fruit internal quality seems a contributor of its decreased consumption in several European countries.
A big gap exists between consumers’ expectations and marketed apricots, with taste as the major reason of complaints.
Sugars and acids content largely affect the overall organoleptic pleasantness becoming a driving factor of consumers’ degree of liking.
Pomological characterization revealed that sugars and acids widely vary among more than 150 accessions of different geographical and/or breeding origin (mostly from Mediterranean basin and North America) and in relation to maturity date.
Total soluble solids content greatly predicted the sweetness perception, although titratable acidity had the greatest impact on the overall sweet-sour taste balance.
A strong positive relationship occurred between the overall acid content and organic acids pattern both in fruit pulp and skin, with malate and citrate as the most abundant.
Notably, only citrate enhanced the sour taste perception in a group of expert panelists, advancing their content ratio as a valuable breeding criterion.
Genome wide association analysis – carried out using genotypic data obtained from a customized 25 k target SNPs assay – revealed a major locus on chromosome 8 for the ratio between malate and citrate, with an almost Mendelian inheritance.
The observed apricot diversity emphasizes a fine characterization of the available germplasm to be exploited by breeders.
Furthermore, the elucidation of genetic basis might contribute to implement a DNA-informed breeding in the ongoing programs toward an improved apricot quality that meets consumers’ demand.
A big gap exists between consumers’ expectations and marketed apricots, with taste as the major reason of complaints.
Sugars and acids content largely affect the overall organoleptic pleasantness becoming a driving factor of consumers’ degree of liking.
Pomological characterization revealed that sugars and acids widely vary among more than 150 accessions of different geographical and/or breeding origin (mostly from Mediterranean basin and North America) and in relation to maturity date.
Total soluble solids content greatly predicted the sweetness perception, although titratable acidity had the greatest impact on the overall sweet-sour taste balance.
A strong positive relationship occurred between the overall acid content and organic acids pattern both in fruit pulp and skin, with malate and citrate as the most abundant.
Notably, only citrate enhanced the sour taste perception in a group of expert panelists, advancing their content ratio as a valuable breeding criterion.
Genome wide association analysis – carried out using genotypic data obtained from a customized 25 k target SNPs assay – revealed a major locus on chromosome 8 for the ratio between malate and citrate, with an almost Mendelian inheritance.
The observed apricot diversity emphasizes a fine characterization of the available germplasm to be exploited by breeders.
Furthermore, the elucidation of genetic basis might contribute to implement a DNA-informed breeding in the ongoing programs toward an improved apricot quality that meets consumers’ demand.
Publication
Authors
I. Baccichet, R. Chiozzotto, A.G. Tagliabue, C. Da Silva Linge, D. Tura, D. Bassi, M. Cirilli
Keywords
apricot, fruit quality, breeding
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